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i am the happiest hippo in all of the land and i couldn't imagine a better christmukkah present.

i'm also the most caffeinated hippobecause i have been wide awake at 3am almost every night this week with a mind as fast as a racehorse, scribbling to-do lists, writing my vows, stressing out about how i will pee when i'm wearing my dress.

but it's all so fun and amazing!!!! and i'm so excited to wake up tomorrow and frost my wedding cake with stoop, bake pies with mum, string together rosemary boutonnieres with my bridesmaids and bridesmen, gain a gaggle of new wonderful family members, do the hora with my homies, smooch my husband, say the word "husband" a thousand million times, and be showered in sprinkles as my dad plays mozart for the new mr. and mrs.

ok, i'm gonna cry now.

i hope you are all having wonderful holidays filled with yummy food and lots of hugs! i will be back next week with a new ring and a new name!

this marzipan moose mousse cake isn't our official wedding cake (that is yet to be decorated by stoop and me), but it's not an egg wedding without chocolate and marzipan! i was inspired by a moose cookie cutter that i found at ikea, and "moose mousse cake" is just so darn fun to say. hehe. so this little guy will be on our wedding dessert table, alongside the sprinkle cake and red velvet.

this recipe makes one very very very large cake. it requires baking four 8-inch layers and then throwing one massive party so that people can help you finish it. such as a wedding. however, it does halve (and even quarter!) quite nicely, just get your measurement equivalents memorized. you might not be able to fit two entire ikea moose onto a smaller cake, but consider dala horses or teddy bears. the chocolate cake recipe is based on magnolia's, and it is the one i swear by. it's so super moist and rich and perfect, and it doesn't require an electric mixer. the jam i've used here was made by eggcousin elaine, and i like it because she doesn't use any sugar, so it balances out the sweet cake very nicely.

marzipan moose mousse cake

makes one 4-layer 8-inch cake or two 2-layer 8-inch cakes

ingredients

cake:

4 1/4 c sugar

3 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 3/4 c cocoa powder

1 tb baking powder

1 tb baking soda

1 tb kosher salt

4 large eggs

2 c coconut milk (whole milk or almond milk will also work)

1 c vegetable oil

2 tb vanilla extract

2 tsp almond extract

1 3/4 c boiling water

mousse frosting:

4 c heavy whipping cream

1 c cocoa powder

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tsp almond

filling and decorating:

about 9 tb raspberry jam

16 oz marzipan

crushed almonds

powdered sugar, pearl sugar, sprinkles, optional

clues

preheat oven to 350. grease and line four 8-inch round cake pans.

in a very very large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. in a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and then whisk in the boiling water. the batter will be very thin. pour into the cake tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. begin checking for doneness at about 25 minutes. cool for 10 minutes in the tins and then turn onto a greased wire rack and let cool completely.

these can be baked up to a week in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and then frozen.

to make the frosting, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and then gradually add the cocoa and powdered sugar. add the almond extract and continue beating to stiff peaks.

to assemble your cake, level your layers and then place one layer on a plate or cake board. spread with a thin layer of frosting. roll out your marzipan to 1/4-inch thick and cut out a circle that will fit on top of the cake. place it on top and then spread on about 3 tablespoons of jam. place your second layer of cake on top and then repeat this process twice more. cover the cake in frosting. using the remaining marzipan, cut out your moose, and if desired, knead a bit of gel food coloring into some and cut out hearts. stick them onto your cake. surround the bottom of the cake with crushed almonds, and dust the top with powdered sugar, pearl sugar, or sprinkles.